“Why, what’s the matter, old fellow?” Bob asked as he pulled one arm out of the bag and threw it about his brother’s neck. “I-I-thought you were d-d-drowned,” the boy sobbed. “So did I, for a second,” Bob said soberly. “You see, although the water is only about three feet deep there, when I broke through, I struck a slippery stone and my feet went out from under me and I thought I’d never get them under me again. But, thank God, I’m all right now and as snug as a bug in a rug.” Jack soon dried his tears and set about arranging camp for the night, for they knew that, by the time Bob’s clothes were dry, it would be too late to go any farther that day. “We’ve made pretty good time at that,” Bob declared. “Thirty-five or forty miles of this kind of going is a good day’s tramp.” It was after four o’clock by the time Jack had things all shipshape for the night, and, soon after, he started to get supper. It was not so cold as the night before although, as night came on, it was well below freezing. The heat from the fire had prevented Bob’s clothes from freezing and by the time the boys were ready to retire for the night, they were fully dried. Fortunately Bob suffered no ill effects from his bath, and, as soon as it was light the next morning, they were again on the trail. “Let me know when you are tired,” Bob said as they started off. “I’m going to hit a pretty stiff clip and I think we ought to pretty nearly get there before the snow gets soft enough for the shoes. It can’t be more than twenty miles at the most.” In a little over an hour they reached the upper end of Churchill Lake and began the ascent of a range of lofty hills. A good part of the way it was steep and the slippery crust made their footing insecure. “It’s a good thing that we haven’t got the toboggan to pull up here,” Jack panted as they stopped for a breathing spell about half way to the top. “You said a lot then,” Bob agreed. “It’s hard work enough pulling ourselves up here. When we get to the top I’m going to climb a tree. It seems to me that we ought to be able to see the lake from there, that is if there aren’t any more hills in the way. My, but this is a pretty wild country all right. “Wild is right,” Jack agreed. “You’d think there was enough timber right here in Maine to supply the world for the next hundred years. “You’d think so but I guess they’re cutting it off a good bit faster than it grows.” Bob said as he started off again. It took them the better part of an hour to reach the top of the range and both were breathing hard when, with a sigh of relief, Bob threw his pack to the ground and sank down upon it. “Wait till I get my breath back and I’ll get up that tall spruce and see what I can see,” he said. Jack quickly followed his example and for some moments neither boy spoke. But Bob soon got his wind back and, getting up, announced that he was ready for the climb.